Ahead of arguably the clubs biggest European game since 1983 and first ever appearance in the Champions League (Yes, I know they won the European cup in 1982!) Aston Villa are riding a crest of a wave on the pitch under Unai Emery.
It is the clubs most successful period since the mid 90’s when they won 2 League Cups under Brian Little and many fans will have never seen it so good.
Scratch under the surface though and there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst the fanbase with what’s happening off the pitch.
Rising ticket prices, shoddy facilities and poor transport infrastructure are just some of the issues being raised on a weekly basis. This means the uncomfortable question is beginning to be asked.
Do Villa need to leave Villa Park to establish themselves as an elite club in the 21st century?
The History…
Since its inception in 1897 when the ground was able to hold around 40,000 spectators it has consistently been one the biggest and best sports stadiums in the country.
It has hosted 15 England games along with numerous FA Cup Semi Finals and even Rugby Union and League matches. It remains the most iconic sports venue in the West Midlands.
Throughout the years many renovations have taken place. The ground being expanded to hold 105,000 fans. The running track around the pitch being removed. Roofs being erected. Then in the 90’s becoming an all-seater stadium following the Hillsborough tragedy. It has remained ahead of its time and been a source of pride for the football club.
The Present…
That was then. This is now.
Villa Park currently holds 42,000 and several clubs in England now have new or expanded stadiums that are bigger, brighter and better.
Eight clubs currently have stadia with a larger capacity than Villa Park and this will be 10 by 2028 when Everton move into their new home on the docks and Leeds stadium expansion to 53,000 is completed.
In house facilities at these grounds are better. Transport links are better. This coupled with the amount of people turning up at these grounds means matchday revenue for Villa is way down with the teams they are competing with at the top end of the table. Long term they cannot compete if they aren’t at least matching these sides revenue streams.
This in turn has led to the clubs President of Business Operations, Chris Heck charging extortionate prices for matchday tickets and amending parts of the ground to be able to host
matchday packages worth hundreds per person, taking away normal priced seating and thus pricing out fans. During a cost-of-living crisis it’s not a great look.
Over the last decade Villa have more than flirted with the idea of renovating the North Stand to increase the capacity to 50,000 with plans officially being drawn up and given the green light by previous CEO Christian Purslow.
This was put on indefinite hold by the incoming Chris Heck in 2023, the official explanation being ‘I became more concerned we were adding too many seats too fast,” said Heck. So, I do believe it’s important we took a step back and re-evaluate what’s best. I mention this with transportation and the parking. So, adding 10,000 seats doesn’t sound practical to me.’
Ah yes, those transportation links.
One of the major issues with just simply upgrading the current stadium is that it doesn’t deal with the infrastructure around the ground. The 2 train stations in proximity (Witton & Aston) are old, dated and unable to cope with 50,000 match going fans. They can’t cope with 42,000.
Birmingham City Council was looking at improving Witton station, but this was scrapped when the Council essentially declared itself bankrupt last year.
What to do the fans think…
Anthony Hookway, season ticket holder since 2007 ‘On the pitch I couldn’t be happier with the football club. Chris Heck though seems to have come in, shelved development plans and is all for the here and now with his vanity projects. Long term this will not leave us in a good place’
Chris Knight, Villa fan for 60 years and regular match goer added ‘I love Villa Park, it’s my happy place and I can’t imagine us playing anywhere else. I’m torn but leaving Villa Park would be the absolute last resort for me. Hopefully the relevant upgrades can be made to the ground’
Younger generations of Villa fans are more forthcoming in wanting to leave Villa Park, however.
George Howard, aged 16 ‘Obviously Villa Park is an historic ground but if we want to compete with the best teams, we need a ground that matches that ambition and ours is just dated.’
Olivia Johnson, aged 14 ‘It’s time to leave Villa Park. It’s run down, it’s in a rubbish area and it takes hours to get to and from the ground on matchdays.’
The Future…
There is the small practically of where the club could move if they do leave Villa Park.
Perry Barr has long been mooted but the transport links are arguably worse with just one train station and sites such as the NEC are simply too far away for fans to ever consider that home.
There isn’t anywhere in Aston suitable and nowhere else they could move to that would feel like ‘home’
All this factored in and with both owners and Heck stating the club will not be leaving Villa Park it seems nailed on they won’t be moving anytime soon.
The small pockets of fans stating Villa need to leave Villa Park will only grow louder as time goes on though and indeed if things weren’t going so well on the pitch these rumblings would be gaining further traction.
While Unai Emery builds his dynasty on the pitch it’s time for Aston Villa football club and its owners to decide if they want this success to be fleeting or for them to become a permanent fixture at the head of English football.
If they do, then these questions about Villa Park and its future need answering sooner rather than later.
Matthew 